Reindeer and Cats and Elephants, Oh My!
US soldier rides an elephant in Burma with some native children
Dogs and horses may be the animals that come to mind when a person thinks of war, but many animal species have been used by man to help him fight- and World War II was no exception.
Like horses and mules, oxen were sometimes used to haul supplies from point A to point B. There are even a few photographs that suggest cows were even used to haul things. Finland used about 100,000 reindeer during the war. They were used in raiding patrols, supply transport, and carrying the wounded to hospitals.
The biggest animal used award goes to the elephant. Japan used elephants to fight in Burma. However, elephants are not great soldiers as they are gun-shy and only work on "their" terms. There is no person big enough to make an elephant do something if it doesn't want to do it! The Nazis also used elephants, but for a different role. To save gasoline, the Nazis used them instead of tractors. The Allies also used pack camels in North Africa. Soldiers even rode camels. However, they were simply a mode of transportation in the desert and were never actually used in battle.
Carrier pigeons played an extremely important role in the war. They carried messages and were sometimes the only available communication between different troops. The US military had about 54,000. G.I. Joe, the most famous American pigeon, served in the MTO campaigns in Italy.
Even the little bug was used. Spiders spun silk that was used for creating surveying instruments. Germany dropped the Colorado Potato Bug on Great Britain in hopes that the bugs would eat all the crops and starve the enemy.
The US came up with a not-so-brilliant idea to use cats to sink German ships. Since cats hated getting wet, they figured the cat would guide a dropped bomb onto the deck and away from the water. This turned out to be a huge fail, especially since most of the cats became unconscious during the drop.
All different animals became mascots, both official and unofficial. These “pets” provided relief from the horrors of war, becoming sources of entertainment, pride, and companionship.
Click here for more information and pictures about the war's more unique animals.
Like horses and mules, oxen were sometimes used to haul supplies from point A to point B. There are even a few photographs that suggest cows were even used to haul things. Finland used about 100,000 reindeer during the war. They were used in raiding patrols, supply transport, and carrying the wounded to hospitals.
The biggest animal used award goes to the elephant. Japan used elephants to fight in Burma. However, elephants are not great soldiers as they are gun-shy and only work on "their" terms. There is no person big enough to make an elephant do something if it doesn't want to do it! The Nazis also used elephants, but for a different role. To save gasoline, the Nazis used them instead of tractors. The Allies also used pack camels in North Africa. Soldiers even rode camels. However, they were simply a mode of transportation in the desert and were never actually used in battle.
Carrier pigeons played an extremely important role in the war. They carried messages and were sometimes the only available communication between different troops. The US military had about 54,000. G.I. Joe, the most famous American pigeon, served in the MTO campaigns in Italy.
Even the little bug was used. Spiders spun silk that was used for creating surveying instruments. Germany dropped the Colorado Potato Bug on Great Britain in hopes that the bugs would eat all the crops and starve the enemy.
The US came up with a not-so-brilliant idea to use cats to sink German ships. Since cats hated getting wet, they figured the cat would guide a dropped bomb onto the deck and away from the water. This turned out to be a huge fail, especially since most of the cats became unconscious during the drop.
All different animals became mascots, both official and unofficial. These “pets” provided relief from the horrors of war, becoming sources of entertainment, pride, and companionship.
Click here for more information and pictures about the war's more unique animals.